One and Only
Hermione sat by the window of the small cafe sipping her tea. Even though it had been a long hard week at work and she deserved something stronger, she had decided to wait for Ron before ordering her usual glass of white wine. He was already late and she again wondered why he had chosen to meet in this muggle cafe away from their usual Friday watering hole that they normally wound down with Harry and Ginny and the other office people. He had hinted of a surprise which intrigued her as they had already promised Ginny to be there to celebrate her birthday. To be honest all she really wanted to do was to go home, change into something warm and baggy and to curl up next to Ron with a book in her hand.
As she gazed out of the window she spotted her husband trying to cross the busy roadway across from the cafe. He was obviously swearing to himself, his head moving side to side trying to gauge a gap in the traffic. His unruly red hair flopped about his head and his eyes flashed over the cars as he finally spotted an opening and rushed across the road. He had discarded his auror robes due to the muggle neighbourhood and was just wearing his black jacket over his shirt which was unbuttoned as usual. He easily manoeuvred his large lanky frame around the moving vehicles and numerous pedestrians before turning for the cafe door. He looked wonderful to her.
Even after seven years as best friends, three years as lovers and almost one year as husband and wife she felt the start of flutters in her stomach. It always astounded her that after all this time, he still had that effect on her. Even though she knew this man inside out, upside down and all around she still anticipated the thrill of him. It had been like this since her school days and it had never stopped...thankfully.
The door bell clanged as he rushed in, immediately scanning the room for her. She waved her hand and as he smiled at her in recognition her heart skipped a beat. She was used to it but it still always surprised her. She stood up to greet him as he approached.
Much to her surprise he grabbed her clumsily and gave her a wet deep kiss as his hand squeezed one of her bum cheeks through her skirt.
"Ron! What are you doing! You know I don't like this sort of show especially in front of all these people." she hissed quietly at him. What had got into him!
"Hey it's been a long day and I missed my baby that's all." he smirked sitting down across from her. "Come on have a seat before I grope you again."
"I'm your baby now? That's a new one." she raised an eyebrow at him as she seated herself. "And there will be no groping I promise you." she tried to sound serious but his smile had already warmed her. He was now staring at her...actually leering and after her slight blush she started to feel a little uncomfortable.
"Stop staring Ron, you're making me nervous. What's the matter with you today?" It this about your surprise." she asked a little nervously. She hated it when she was out of the loop.
"Don't fret yourself you'll know soon enough." he laughed lightly. "It that what you are drinking? Come on have a real drink. What will it be?" he snapped his fingers at the nearest waiter as he turned to watch her again with that damn smile on his face. She immediately relaxed.
"So why was your day a hard one?" she asked instinctively. She knew he was working on a case but he had not complained during the week. She had hoped for a relaxing weekend together as she had also wrapped up a tedious court case this morning.
"Nothing unordinary. Just dealing with all the shit in that place with all those people you know. Let's not talk about it." he sidetracked as the waiter came up to the table.
"I'll have a scotch on the rocks and a..." he paused as he looked to her for her order.
"I'll just have a glass of white wine." she supplied as the waiter took their order.
"Since when do you drink scotch?" she asked in surprise. He was being really weird today.
"Why are you asking all these questions? It's a muggle cafe so I just want to fit in yeah?" he said casually as he slumped into his seat. He was staring again.
"Aren't you going to ask me about my case?" she brought up.
"Look Hermione. I really prefer not to talk about work now besides I don't know why you...we have to work so hard. We're war heroes for fucks sake. They should have given us enough money for us to retire. We deserved it you think?" he stated seriously.
Hermione was now really shocked. What had happened at work she wondered.
Ron swore under his breath as one of those taxi cars almost swiped away his leg as he tried to cross the busy road. Why the hell had Hermione picked this area of London to meet this afternoon he hadn't figured out yet. He hated the area and not because of the muggle nature but after a long week he was really looking forward to a nice quiet evening with his sister and best mate to relax. That was the next thing. Hermione knew it was Ginny's birthday and she still insisted in meeting at the muggle pub across the road from where he stood. He knew she had finally finished the case she had been working on and maybe she wanted to celebrate with him before going to meet their friends.
Even though she had worked tirelessly over the last month, Ron knew there was nothing else she preferred doing. She loved her job and he was happy for her. They both had demanding jobs but they made it work for each other. After their part in the war they deserved this life that they were forging for themselves and a few late nights to make their world a better place was worth it. She deserved it after all and he would do anything to show his appreciation...if he could only cross this bloody road.
The door bell clanged over the noise inside the pub as he looked around for his wife. He took of his jacket to hang on one of the many hooks in the narrow foyer when he spotted her by the bar sitting on a stool. She was drinking a colourful looking drink and was swinging her feet and staring at someone off to her side. He smiled to himself as he stood and watched her from his place at the pub entrance.
After placing her drink on the bar she brushed her hair a bit irritatingly away from her brow and then tried to put some order to the rest of her bushy locks tying it back behind her neck in a messy bun. She looked amazingly adorable and he felt the familiar speeding up of his pulse. It still amazed him that after seven years as best friends, three years as lovers and almost one year as husband and wife she still had the ability to immobilize him when he looked at her sometimes. He knew this woman like the back of his hand. He knew every inch of her body and every expression on her beautiful face yet still he always marvelled at her. How could he be so lucky to have this amazing witch love him and love him for himself. She crossed her slender legs as she patted down her skirt and he shivered at the thoughts that crossed his mind. He loved her legs. Maybe they could ditch Harry and Ginny early and have a real celebration later.
He looked up surprisingly as the man that was next to her made a comment next to her ear and she laughed warmly at the stranger. Or was he a stranger. It certainly looked like she knew him as it appeared that she was being very friendly...maybe a bit too friendly for his liking. Hermione was normally a bit standoffish with new people and flirty behaviour...like he was now observing was foreign to her. Maybe it was just his jealous steak rearing its ugly head and he calmed himself. She would not like him behaving like a childish git in front of people. She probably knew this smiling prat next to her.
As she spotted him approaching she broke into a wide grin and brushed the man away with a flick of her head. She stood up as he reached her and surprised him again by drawing him into an intimate hug and a deep snog right in front of everyone.
"Whoa there Mrs. Weasley! You're in a mood. You're the one who never likes these open shows. What's got into you? Not that I'm complaining mind you." he laughed loudly.
"I just missed my big boy and I want to show him how much." she purred seductively.
"Wow Hermione. You really had a good day. I heard about your case and I'm really happy for you. Is this as a result? Is this why we're here?" he asked lightly as she continued to grope at him. His ego should have been savouring the attention but strangely he began to feel a bit uncomfortable and conspicuous in the crowded bar.
"I don't want to talk about work. It's Friday. What I need is you so shut up and kiss me again." she moved up against him again and before he could comply with her request she grabbed his neck and pulled him into another deep kiss.
OK this was strange he thought. What the hell was she drinking? He pulled away with a smirk.
"Hermione what have you been drinking? and who was that guy you were talking to earlier." he tried to untangle her limbs from him as he asked.
"Who? that guy? He's nobody. Just forget about him. And you can get me another one of those margaritas. They're really good. You should have one too Ron and then we can talk about why I brought you here.
Ron was really confused. Hermione drinking weird muggle drinks, not talking about work and flirting with strangers? Not to mention openly kissing and groping him in public. What the hell happened at her work he wondered.
"Ron what are you saying! You know that's not how I feel at all. I love my work and so do you...so what happened today to have you so pissed off?" she asked desperately.
"Er..nothing happened. I'm sorry. I just dropped into my depressing mood. You know how I am." he smiled again. "As for the surprise, I have to take you somewhere special. You will like it I promise. In fact screw the drinks let's go now. Come on." he stated quickly and made to stand up. She stopped him with her hand on his arm.
"Ron remember we have to go and meet Ginny and Harry. It's her birthday remember? How long is this surprise going to last?" she enquired.
"Don't worry. It's not going to take long besides we can always catch Ginny and Harry another time. It's not like it's her last birthday." he looked at her for a second before changing his mind.
"OK ok. I promise we will get this over with quickly and then we can go and meet the Chosen One and his wife." he smirked as he pulled her outside to a small alley next to the cafe.
Hermione was now deep in thought as she ran through all that had transpired over the last half hour. Something felt wrong and she tried to assemble all her facts in her head as she followed Ron outside.
"Don't look so worried babe. I promise this will be worth it." he laughed as he drew her close to him.
"I can show you a little preview if you want." he growled softly as he clumsily groped her breasts. She hesitated before taking his hand gently.
"Ron...please slow down. Wherever we are going we can continue this. I promise I will be nice. I can even do the thing that you like...just like I did on your last birthday." she flirted suddenly. Ron's smile only got wider in anticipation.
"Come on then. What are we waiting for?" he moved away to apparate with her but she broke his hold on her hand.
She swiftly brought her wand up to his chest and sent a stunning spell at point blank range. He keeled over like a wet sack and she had him in a body bind in a flash. She bent over him with her wand now pointing at his genitals.
"Right. I am only going to ask this once before you lose all your private bits forever." she hissed loudly.
"Where is my husband."
"Hermione. How many of those drinks have you had? And since when do you not talk about work especially after what you did today? Believe me there is nothing else I would rather do than stay here with you all over me but what the hell is going on?" he asked exasperatedly.
His wife suddenly looked a bit forlorn and his heart melted a bit. Maybe she was just in a really happy mood and he was spoiling it for her. He cursed himself as he held her tiny hands in his. She drew him closer as she stared at him.
"I'm sorry Ron. I guess I overdid it a bit. I'm just so happy to see you sometimes I just can't help myself. I brought you here away from the normal crowd because I want to show you something, Something only you can see...with me. Come on you will like it I promise." she laughed as she pulled him to the entrance. He really liked when she was happy.
"Hermione, don't forget we promised to meet Ginny and Harry later. How long is this...something you have to show me going to be?" he enquired.
"It's not going to be long. Thrust me. Have I ever lied to you Ron? Besides we can always see Ginny and the Chosen One anytime. Right now I only want to see you.
Ron was in two minds as he followed her outside to a dark alley. Something was wrong and he had felt it the moment he laid eyes on her at the bar talking to that man. What was it?
Her laughter brought him back to the small alley as she pulled him against her in a hot embrace.
"You know, this is a nice dark alley. No one can really see us. Why don't we start here and we can continue where I'm taking you." her voice was low and husky as she reached lustily for him over his pants.
He jumped slightly before gently taking her hands in his.
"Why don't we get comfortable wherever you are taking me and you can do whatever you want with me I promise. We can even do that thing you like remember...like what we did in bed on my birthday." he grinned at her.
"I can hardly wait big boy. Let's go." she pulled away but he dropped her hands quickly and pulled out his wand.
His stunning spell hit her and she dropped to the ground with a thud. He drew himself over her and stuck the end of his wand into her neck.
"I'm going to only ask this once and you had better answer or else you face is going to be splattered over this pavement." he growled.
"Where the fucking hell is my wife."
Ron paced impatiently outside the interrogation room where the two prisoners were being held. He twitched and muttered under his breath every so often. Hermione was upstairs and he could not wait any longer.
"Ron will you stop! She'll be here as soon as her debriefing is finished." cried Harry.
"I know. I know. It's just that I could kick myself. How did I not spot it earlier?" he flayed his arms for effect.
"That was Grade A polyjuice Ron. It really does its job from what you and Hermione told us. You did good mate and so did Hermione." Harry tried to placate his friend.
"Yeah but I knew about the robbery earlier this week and I should have put two and two together a bit faster...thank God I told Hermione about the case even though she would have still figured it out on her own you know how smart she is." he stated seriously.
The sound of hurried feet caught his attention and soon his wife was clinging to him in the corridor. He held on and buried his face in her hair. God! This was the real thing. There was only one of her and she was safely in his arms. She pulled away and kissed him deeply before looking at him with her fingers trailing over his face.
"Oh Ron. This is really you. My one and only. It was so horrible." she gripped him again in a hug.
"I can't believe we both went through this. I knew something was wrong but he looked exactly like you, he smelt just like you." she sobbed against him.
"I know. She was just like you but I knew something was off even before I spoke to her. She was flirting at the bar and it was just...not like you." he told her. "She was nothing like you."
"Yuck! I can't believe I let him put his tongue down my throat and grope me in front of everyone. I had to wash out my mouth upstairs for over ten minutes before I could feel better about myself...yuck" she shivered.
"He what! That skum bastard! Harry let me back in there! I swear nobody touches my wife without serious damage!" he cried. Hermione held him back.
"Ron it was nothing. He will be punished. I suspected something as he was saying all these crazy things that you would never say. As you said, even though he looked and smelt like you...he felt different. Nothing like you believe me. Even when he was...groping me, he felt totally different. That's when I really knew. I fed him a line about your last birthday and he didn't even flinch. Of course he didn't know that you spent your last birthday sleeping in St. Mungos." she explained.
Ron now raised his furry eyebrows at her.
"Really! I used the exact line on that bitch also. But I should have picked up on her long before. As least before she attacked me and snogged me all over the place..."
"She what! she...You told me you knew from the start! What did she do Ronald!" she asked loudly.
"Well...come on Hermione this was grade A polyjuice! It took me awhile to be sure but not before she snogged me. I couldn't have known till after. Like you said she was talking funny and..touching me funny you know. I only figured it out for sure like you." he explained weakly looking down at his shoes.
Hermione gritted her teeth.
"She was...touching you funny...oh God" she spun at Harry as he flinched. "Harry. Open this door now! We want to re-question the prisoners...now" she growled at him. Ron smiled behind his back.
Harry hesitated but knew better to go against his friend when she was in this mood. He quietly open the interrogation door and let the two aggrieved parties inside.
"So I understand you were...touching my husband..."
"And I was told that you were groping my wife..."
Harry quietly shut the door and cast some silencing charms. He could always file his report and explain the ensuing damage as resisting arrest. Ron and Hermione would surely back him up.
